Mechanical hand



Feb. 13, 1962 c. J. DANIELS ET AL 3,020,908

MECHANICAL HAND 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1960 CHARLE6 J flA/V/ELSTHOMAS A. SM/TH ATTORNEY 26 i K30 i 5 i as I INVENTORS Feb. 13, 1962 c.J. DANIELS ET AL 3,020,908

MECHANICAL HAND Filed June 27, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHA RL ESJ. 04 N/EL 6 THOMAS A. 6 M/ TH ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1962 c. J. DANIELS ETAL 3,020,908

MECHANICAL HAND Filed June 27, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS CHARLESJ. flAN/ELS THOMAS A. uSM/TH BYWWM ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1962 c. J. DANIELSET AL 3,020,908

MECHANICAL HAND Filed June 27, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS CHAR/.55J OA/v/ELS THOMAS A. SM/TH BY WWW 2W ATTORNEY United States Patent3,020,908 MECHANICAL HAND Charles J. Daniels and Thomas A. Smith,Wilmington, Del., assignors to All American Engineering Company,Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 27, 1960, Ser.No. 39,014 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-26) The present invention relates toapparatus for the rehabilitation of quadriplegic patients and moreparticularly in the provision of a novel apparatus for restoring the useof the hands paralyzed as a result of injuries to the spinal cord at thecervical level, and for hands paralyzed by diseases, accidents and thelike.

Heretofore, there have been many unsatisfactory attempts to devisesuitable apparatus to permit the quadriplegic patient to regainfunctional use of his hands. However, all such apparatus has been toocumbersome, heavy and complicated for a quadriplegic patient to actuateand an object of the present invention is to provide a simple,lightweight and substantially effortlessly actuated device. For example,a device to assist in the reestablishment of the use of a paralyzedhand, as a properly functioning mechanical hand, should have thefollowing specifications:

(1) The weight of the complete unit must be at a minimum, particularlydue to the muscular weakness and paralysis of the hand and arm; I

(2) The most effective simple form of. mechanical activation to the handpossible must be provided, such as will result in at least a three digitgripping action, for example a three-jaw chuck-like gripping action;

(3) The control means provided for the mechanical operation must befeather-touch controlled and be mechanically simple, such as to requirealmost imperceptible muscular force by the patient;

(4) The complete unit must be very inexpensive with simple readilyavailable component parts that are readily available, manufactured andreplaceable if worn or broken; and

(5) The complete unit with its feather lightness in weight and itsfeather-touch operation must be comfortable for constant wear andlikewise be cosmetically acceptable to the patient.

Thus the objects of this invention are to attain the above enumeratedrequirements together with other objects and advantages which willbecome apparent by reference to the following detailed description,which is best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention as it appearsapplied to the forearm and fingers of a patient; '0

FIGURE 2.isa detail in side elevation of the fore-part of the noveldevice illustrating the movement of the finger motivating portionthereof with the normal inactive position shown in solid lines and arelative dotted position thereof showing an active position of theactuating cylinder, hand spring and finger tines;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the hand actuating portion and afragmentary portion of the splint portion of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a detail, partly in section, of one of the ball-jointconnections formed on opposite portions of the arcuate arms of the handheld spring, showing how it connects to the ball joint projections ofthe end portions of the respective operating cylinder and piston means;

:FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the arm of a wheel chair or thelike showing a novel means for mounting the patient master activatormeans thereon with a novel arm rest therefor;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the said arm mounting with the arm restshown in phantom;

FIGURE 7 is a general perspective view of a second modification of thepresent invention, showing another form of patient master activatormeans;

FIGURE 8 is a third modification of the invention, wherein a wrist watchis included therewith;

FIGURE 9 is an illustration of one master control means for operatingthe device, that is, by the bite of the patient;

FIGURE 10 illustrates an arm to body squeezing operation of the mastercontrol to actuate the device;

FIGURE 11 illustrates an arrangement to operate the master control byuse of the patients chin pressure;

FIGURE 12 illustrates an arrangement for operation of the master controlby the back of the patient; and

FIGURE 13 shows the use of the patients foot to operate the mastercontrol of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first with particular referenceto FIGURE 1 thereof, the present invention is shown secured to the armA, hand H and three fingers E, F and G of a quadriplegic or partiallyparalyzed patient.

Broadly, the device comprises a hand, wrist and arm contoured plasticsplint 10 with an attaching strap 11, a nylon piston 12 and cylinder 13,a finger actuating C- shaped spring 14 with particularly spaced andarranged pairs of tines 15-16, 17-48 and 19-20 on which are mountedlatex finger caps 21, 22 and 23, nylon tubing 24 and a patient masteractuator means 25 positioned for convenient actuation by the particularpatient using the device.

Plastic splint The contoured plastic splint 10, for example of acrylicplastic provides for comfort, neatness and cosmetic attractiveness tothe patient. The splint lies on the volar aspect of the forearm and istransversely curved or contoured at the end along the forearm includinga transversely contoured T-headed end portion for steadying the splint,whereby only one securing strap 11 is needed at the lower or wristadjacent portion of the splint, see FIGURE 1.

As illustrated in FIGURE 6, a wrist watch W may be worn on the strap 11,if desired. 7

The splint 11 curves longitudinally from the wrist portion into the palmof the patients hand at a predetermined measured angle and to an extentfor which each patient is fitted. For example, it has been determinedthat at an angled approximately40 degrees of the hand 'with respect tothe wrist and forearm is the most desirable. This angle enhances andimproves the grip or strength in a paralyzed hand when the muscles arepractically usemechanisms carried thereby, see FIGURE 3.

Finger actuating spring I The finger actuating C-spring 14 comprises aC-shaped loop with a pair of spaced parallel coils 35 and 36, which bothlaterally. extend to one sideof the closed portion of the loop and whichare coiled to normally bias the free ends of the arms of the .C-shapedloop toward each other. These coils 35 and 36- are secured to the bottomSurface 30 of the cut-out 29, by the headed pins 33, and

. 34, see FIGURE 3, and the spring coils continue into oppositely bowedportions at 37 and 38 from theend convolution of each spring and thenceinto a restricted portion 40 around which is loosely mounted a link 41.This link serves to limit the arcuate arms 42 and 43 of the C-shapedspring 14 from becoming spread apart too far during acutation by theservo unit, that is, the piston 12 and cylinder 13 mounted therebetweenas hereinafter described in detail.

Each free end of each arcuate arm 42 and 43 is provided with a straightprojection 39a and 39 and fixed to each projection of the C-shapedspring at predetermined or measured positions with respect to thepatients thumb and next two fingers, are pairs of tines. For example,the thumb tines 19-20 are secured to arcuate arm 43 and the nextadjacent two fingers, namely the tines 15-16 for the index finger E andthe tines 17-18 for the next finger F are secured each to respectivesides of the arcuate arm 42.

The latex finger caps The latex finger caps or thimbles 23 are formedwith side longitudinal sockets 45 and 46, which receive the respectivetines for the thumb G and each finger E and F. These latex caps orthimbles are preferably cemented onto the tines for permanency and arethen gloved onto the thumb and respective finger tips with the arcuatearms 42 and 43 of the G-shaped spring 14 embraced by the patients hand,as shown in FIGURE 1.

These finger thimbles are molded in molds or casts taken of the thumband fingers of the patient, who will wear the present device. Thus whenapplied to the thumb and fingers, the same will be accurately fitted andsnugly and comfortably suited to the patient.

Servo-unit The servo-unit, comprising the piston 12 and cylinder 13, ispreferably made of nylon to provide extreme lightness in weight and alsofor the reason that this material is non-corrosive. The free end of thepiston 12 is formed with a projection 47 having a spherical or ball end48 and the opposite free end of the cylinder 13 is likewise formed witha projection 49 having a spherical or ball end 50. The spherical endseach receive the round sockets 51 and 52, respectively, on the end oftheir respective projections 53 and 54, which extend inwardly towardeach other from the interior sides of the arms of the C-shaped spring14.

For example, the cylinder 13 may have a capacity of five milliliters, aone-half inch bore and a one inch maximum stroke. Also, leakage isprevented by rubber rings between the cylinder and piston member.

Master control unit The servo-unit connects with the master control unit25 operated by the patient, see FIGURES 1 and 5, for example. Suchconnection is made by means of nylon tubing 24 from the side of the baseof the cylinder 13, which tubing may have for example an inside diameterof 0.125 inch and which may permit a flow of 400 milliliters of fluidper minute from the master control unit. Water, for example, is the mostsatisfactory fluid and is always readily available.

From the side connection at the base of the servo cylinder 13, the nylontubing 24 is reeved or threaded through a plastic bracket 57 secured tothe underside of the splint by suitable fasteners 58 and 59 to theangled end of the splint and thence, the same is countersunk within anelongated groove 60 formed in the underside of the splint under the armstrap 11 and a second bracket 61 secured to the splint by fasteners 62and 63. At the end of the splint the groove 60 is formed with a flaredportion 64 and the tube 24 may be terminated and spliced with a tubularinternal coupling nipple 65, see FIGURE 1. This splice prevents kinkingof the tubing as it pays out from the end of the splint, and to furthereliminate kinking an elongated coil spring 66 extends from the spliceportion longitudinally around a spliced or tubing section 67, which isin fluid tight coupling connection to the bottom 69 of the mastercylinder 70. The tubing 67 at this coupling connection is also enclosedby an elongated non-kink coil spring 71.

The master cylinder 70 is formed around its open piston receiving endwith an enlarged annular portion 72 in the provision of an annularflange 73, for the purpose of mounting the master control unit 25 in asupporting block 74, see FIGURES 5 and 6. As shown, the master controlunit 25 includes a reciprocatable piston 75 with a head portion 76,which piston when pressed into the bore of the cylinder 70 displaces thefluid to actuate the servo-unit members 12 and 13 and impart movement tothe patients thumb and fingers, to thereby open the hand and permit thehand to grasp a pen or pencil or the like. For example, the slightopening pressure required for a simple pen or pencil grasping operationis accomplished by an approximate seven-pound (7) pressure, while tograsp a tumbler or larger object requiring the spring to be spread to amore open position is accomplished by an approximate twenty-four (24)pound pressure range.

Embodiment one In the first illustrated embodiment of the inventiondisclosed in FIGURES 5 and 6, there is shown the arm 81 of a wheelchair.. Secured to the front end of the arm is supporting block 77gouged or contoured to fit over the arm and be secured thereto as by afastener bolt 78. Laterally extending from each side of the block 77 areheaded means, such as bolts 79 and 80, while mounted in a shallow socket81a formed in the top of the block 77 in substantial alignment with theaxes of the bolts 79 and is an elongated coil spring 83. This springextends upward above the block 77 and yieldably retains a metal channelbar 85 having a flat top 86 and depending side flanges 87 and 88 inpivotal connection with the laterally extended bolts at the sides of theblock 77. The spaced parallel side flanges 87 and 88 are formed withcomplementary bayonet slots 89 and 90 near the front end thereof andthus the channel bar 85 is readily mounted and demounted over the chairarm 81.

Spaced rearwardly on the chair arm 81 is the second support block 74having a lateral side opening 92 with a half circular bore, which iscounterbored to form a shoulder 93. This shoulder serves as a seat orrest for the annular flange 73 of the master cylinder 70, and permitsthe headed portion 76 of the master control piston 75 to extend upwardabove the arm, see FIGURE 6, with the underside of the channel bar 85resting thereon. Thus when the patient presses upon the bar 85 themaster control piston 75 is moved downwardly and the servo-unit isactuated to impart movement to the C-shaped spring 14.

The extent of the master piston movement may control the pressureimparted to the servo unit members 12 and 13, as required for thepatients needs.

Embodiment two A second embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGURES7 and 8 of the drawings, wherein the servounit, the C-shaped spring, thethumb and finger tines and thimbles identical with embodiment one. Thesplint is slightly different, for example, the servo-unit 101 is securedtransverse the free end of the splint and the same is gouged to providea tube receiving groove 102 along a longitudinal edge of the splint 100.The tube 103 is then secured to the splint by a clip 103a. The tube 103may be spliced to a relatively larger tube section 104 and thence to areduced tube section 105 leading from a master cylinder 106.

The master cylinder 106 has reciprocatable piston means 107 therein,said piston 107 having an extension 108 with a head 109 beyond thecylinder encircled by a coil spring 110. This spring is manuallycompressible 112 and 114 spread apart. These plates are joined togetherat one end by a hinge 115 and the piston head 109 and bottom wall 116are secured between the respective plates 112 and 114 by transverse pins117 and 118, see FIGURE 7.

Some further illustrations of the use of the present invention areillustrated in FIGURES 9 through 13, inclusive. Paralyzed patients mayhave varying degrees and conditions of muscular paralysis, for examplein the following order the patient may be capable of only one of thefollowing methods of master control operation:

(1) By mouth bite, see FIGURE 9;

(2) Bychin nudge, see FIGURE 10;

(3) By arm squeeze, see FIGURE 11; (4) By back pressure, see FIGURE 12;or (5) By foot pressure, see FIGURE 13.

Embodiment three The third embodiment of this invention may be a part ofany artificial limb arrangement using a wrist strap 120 and to which awatch W may be attached in any wellknown manner. Also, other devices andornamental arrangements may be mounted on the strap, if desired.

Thus there is provided a novel arrangement for rehabilitation ofparalyzed patients, whereby the hands are paralyzed as a result ofinjuries to the spinal cord at the cervical level, which arrangement ismechanically efficient and operable by almost completely helplesspatients. And, also, wherein the assembled parts are of feather weight,replaceable and when assembled are cosmetically acceptable to thepatient, so that the patient is not reluctant to constantly were and usethe same.

Without further description, it is believed that the operation of themechanical unit is obvious and while only three embodiments areillustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understoodthat this invention is not intended to be limited to the preciseformations, construction or arrangement of parts as illustrated anddescribed. For this latter purpose reference should be had to theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Hydro-mechanical device for mobilizing the hands of quadriplegics orthe like comprising a splint, means for securing said splint to apatients arm, said splint having a forward angled end extendng into thepalm of the wearers hand, a pair of arcuate arms supported by saidforward angled end of the splint, said arms being off-set from thesplint and embraced by the thumb and index finger of the patients hand,said arms being curved with the free ends thereof toward each other,spring means formed at the rear of the said arms, said spring meansresisting the spreading apart of said arms, power means connectedbetween the said arms adapted to spread the same apart against theresistance of said spring, and thimble means carried by the free end ofeach arm for receiving finger tips of the patients hand.

2. Hydro-mechanical device for mobilizing the hands of quadriplegics orthe like comprising a splint, means for securing said splint to apatients arm, said splint having a forward angled end extending into thepalm of the wearers hand, a pair of arcuate arms supported by saidforward angled end of the splint, said arms being off-set from thesplint and embraced by the thumb and index finger of the patients hand,said arms being curved with the free ends thereof toward each other,spring means formed at the rear of the said arms, said spring meansresisting the spreading apart of said arms, a fluid actuated servo-unitconnected between said arms, a master control unit operable by thepatient, and finger thimbles secured to the respective free ends of thesaid arms slidable over the thumb and two fingers of the patients hand,said master control unit being mounted for actuation by the strongestbody muscles of the particular patient wearing the device, to therebymove the said arms to impart movement to the said thimbles.

3. Means for providing motive power to a paralyzed hand of aquadriplegic comprising a hand held C-shaped spring, servo means securedin the said spring for spreading the same as it is held in the hand,flexible thimble means mounted on each free end of the spring, andmaster control means operatively connected to said servo means actuatedby the quadriplegic.

4. Hydro-mechanical means for mobilizing a paralyzed hand comprising apalm retained C-shaped frame, said frame being formed with a laterallyextending pair of coil springs formed as a continuous part of saidframe, a splint having an end thereof so shaped and so formed as tosecure said frame thereto by means extending through the coiled bore ofeach of said springs, strap means to secure said splint to a patientsarm, said springs resisting the spreading apart of the ends of saidframe, U-shaped frame means secured to each of the respective ends ofsaid C-shaped frame, latex thimbles secured to said U- shaped frames, ahydraulic servo unit swivelly connected at each end transverse saidC-shaped frame, tubing connected to said servo-unit, and a mastercontrol unit connected to the opposite end of said tubing, said controlunit being operable by the patient.

5. Hydro-mechanical means for mobilizing a paralyzed hand as describedin claim 4, wherein said split is made of acrylic plastic formed with anelongated groove longitudinally thereof, said tubing being mounted insaid groove.

6. Hydromechanical means for mobilizing a paralyzed hand comprising apalm retained C-shaped frame, said frame being formed with a laterallyextending pair of coil springs formed as a continuous part of saidframe, a splint having an end thereof so shaped and so formed as tosecure said frame thereto by means extending through the coiled bore ofeach of said springs, strap means to secure said splint to a patientsarm, said springs resisting the spreading apart of the ends of saidframe, U-shaped frame means secured to each of the respective ends ofsaid O- shaped frame, latex thimbles secured to said U-shaped frames, ahydraulic servo-unit swivelly connected at each end transverse saidC-shaped frame, tubing connected to said servo-unit, a master controlunit connected to the opposite end of said tubing, said control unitbeing operable by the patient, said master control unit comprising anylon cylinder and piston therein, said cylinder being formed with amounting flange around the piston entry end thereof, whereby saidcylinder may be supported in a supporting block counterbored to seatsaid cylinder therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,429,866 Broste Oct. 28, 1947 2,528,464 Wilkerson Oct. 31, 19502,545,947 Felip Mar. 20, 1951 2,553,277 Robinson May 15, 1951 2,885,686Giaimo May 12, 1959

